Tlatilco Ceramic Vessel

Vessel, c. 1000-800 B.C.
Tlatilco, Mexico
Kaolin ceramic; 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.
F74.4.1
Rockwell International Electronic Group Fund Purchase
This elegant globular bottle was found in the late 1940’s at the Pre-Columbian site of Tlatilco that lies just west of present day Mexico City. The perfectly formed whiteware container is interrupted by a flash of contrasting black that occurred when the vessel was fired. This sets up a playful tension between the artist’s adept control over proportion and form and the spontaneity and unpredictability of the transformative firing process. The final outcome is a magnificent work of art that would not seem out of place in the most contemporary of settings. The Tlatilco village was occupied between c. 2000-c. 300 BC at Lake Texcoco which has since dried up. Like most artifacts from Tlatilco, this specimen was probably deposited in one of the hundreds of graves at this site. A wide variety of pottery has been found including effigy jars, figurines, spouted vessels and flat based dishes. Some scholars believe that Olmec influence can be seen in Tlatilco ceramics citing chubby baby-faced figures as evidence. Other scholars believe that Tlatilco and neighboring villages evolved independently in style. In either case the findings have solidified the area as artistically vibrant that predates the major centers of Mesoamerican civilization that later developed nearby. All images and text are protected by copyright. Please contact the Collection Department for permission to use. Information subject to change with further research.